Dodgers honor Vin Scully for his 67 years of storytelling with star-studded pregame ceremony

Sept. 23, 2016

Updated Sept. 24, 2016 3:22 p.m.

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Retiring Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, front right, and wife Sandi, acknowledge the fans as they are joined by actor Kevin Costner, second from left, and pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, during Vin Scully Appreciation Day before the team's game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Retiring Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully speaks to the crowd during Vin Scully Appreciation Day before the team's game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Retiring Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully acknowledges fans during a ceremony before Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Scully's final game at Dodger Stadium will be Sunday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Current players stand and applaud as Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, center ( in blue suit), leaves the field after being honored in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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A fan reads a letter from Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully before Friday's game between the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Scully's final game at the stadium is Sunday. ‘You were simply always there for me,' Scully wrote. ‘I have always felt that I needed you more than you needed me and that holds true to this very day. I have been privileged to share in your passion and love for this great game.' (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, top, and his wife Sandra Hunt Scully, middle, walk onto the field as Vin Scully is honored in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully's initials are painted on the field at Dodger Stadium before Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies. Players past and present were among those to take part in a pregame ceremony honoring Scully. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Fans listen to Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully during Vin Scully Appreciation Day before Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully listens to actor Kevin Costner speak during Vin Scully Appreciation Day before the team's game against the Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Vin Scully with his wife Sandra is presented with a check by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, right, as Charley Stainer, Kevin Costner and Clayton Kershaw look on during Vin Scully Appreciation Night prior to Friday's game against the Rockies. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Dodgers players and coaches look on during Vin Scully Appreciation Night prior to Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Both teams stand on the baselines as the members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the direction of famed composer John Williams, prepare to play the national anthem as Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully is honored in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully places his hand over his heart as he is joined by wife Sandi during Vin Scully Appreciation Day is honored in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully acknowledges the crowd as a signs reads ‘I'll Miss You! - Vin' during the seventh inning stretch of Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Vin Scully speaks during an Appreciation Night in honor of his 67 years of broadcasting prior to Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully gestures in his booth as a signs reads ‘I'll Miss You! - Vin' during the seventh inning stretch of Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully acknowledges the crowd as a signs reads ‘I'll Miss You! - Vin' during the seventh inning stretch of Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, right, and his wife Sandra Hunt Scully walk past a display of Dodger award as they head for a ceremony where Vin Scully was to be honored before Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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Proclamations from more than 40 cities and municipalities, declaring Sept. 23 as Vin Scully Day, are on display in the Vin Scully Pressbox before the Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster is honored in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Retiring Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, front right, and wife Sandi, acknowledge the fans as they are joined by actor Kevin Costner, second from left, and pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, during Vin Scully Appreciation Day before the team's game against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LOS ANGELES – Forty cities and two counties declared Friday, September 23, 2016 as Vin Scully Day. It began like almost any other day at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers stretched and played catch. The Colorado Rockies took batting practice. Continuing a recent tradition, some players visited the Vin Scully Press Box before the game to shake hands with the man himself.

“To kind of show respect to him, for what he’s done for a long time,” Dodgers pitcher Joe Blanton said. “He’s one of the greatest announcers of all time. Just on a personal level, to be able to go up in his press box, shake his hand – I don’t do a whole lot of stuff like that, and it was a pretty cool little moment like that to have.”

The game was scheduled to begin at 7:20 p.m., but the first pitch was delayed by 27 minutes. In the meantime, a Vin Scully appreciation ceremony took over the field, turning a ballpark into a shrine – and turning Friday into more than just another stop on Scully’s retirement tour.

The first 50,000 fans in attendance received a typed letter signed by Scully containing recollections from his 67-year career that began in Brooklyn with the Dodgers and continued when the team moved west for the 1958 season.

“You were simply always there for me,” Scully wrote. “I have always felt that I needed you more than you needed me and that holds true to this very day. I have been privileged to share in your passion and love for this great game.”

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti gave Scully a key to the city – a first in his three-plus years on the job, he said. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced a $50,000 donation to the Jackie Robinson Foundation in Scully’s name, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts emerged from the dugout with an oversized check.

Kirk Gibson couldn’t attend in person, but he wanted to pass along a pre-recorded message.

“It’s an honor for me to have your voice attached to the soundtrack of my career,” Gibson said, moments after it was revealed that fans voted Scully’s 19-word description of Gibson’s home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series as his greatest call ever.

Dodgers chairman Mark Walter announced that next year Scully would have a place among the team’s list of retired numbers. As of Friday, the team hadn’t decided what will symbolize Scully, the first nonplayer to join the group.

One of the 10 Dodgers players whose number is retired, Sandy Koufax, recounted a story about Scully.

“Before the World Series, Vin would go to church and pray – not for a win, but there would be only heroes in the World Series, no goats,” Koufax said. “He didn’t want anyone’s future to be tarnished with the fact that they lost the World Series for their team.”

Clayton Kershaw was the only current Dodger player sitting on the dais. He thanked Scully “on behalf of our team and the teams that have come before us.”

“Thank you for painting a picture for us and for our families that we’ll have for the rest of our lives,” Kershaw said. “When we retire, and we don’t have this game anymore, we’ll always have your voice. So thank you for that.”

Actor Kevin Costner was the last guest speaker. He delivered a riveting speech that alternated between tongue-in-cheek humor (“you called my imaginary perfect game; nobody can ever take that away”) and touching prose (“when we held our breath, you filled in the blanks”).

Costner starred in the 1999 baseball movie “For Love of the Game,” in which Scully narrated the play-by-play of his character’s perfect game.

“We’re all taking deep breaths, Vin,” Costner said. “We’re all struggling with our own emotions as we admit we’re down to our last three outs with you. You’re our George Bailey, and it has been a wonderful life. You can’t blame us for trying to hold on to you for as long as we can. And shame on us if you ever have to pay for another meal in public.”

Finally, Scully spoke. He had fought back tears when the emcee, Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner, introduced him on stage. He appeared fidgety as the distinguished speakers delivered one tribute after another.

Scully showed his sense of humor when explaining that he is often asked about his future. He turns 89 in November.

“I’m going to try to live,” he said, drawing laughs. “I’m looking for a much smaller house and a much larger medicine cabinet.”

Noting his five children, 16 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, Scully said, “I guarantee you if I don’t know what to do they will find something for me to do.”

Speaking to the sellout crowd, Scully sounded right at home. In his remarks, Scully thanked the fans for “your enthusiasm, your passion for the game.”

“When you roar, when you cheer, when you are thrilled for a brief moment I’m 8 years old again,” he said. “You have allowed me to be young at heart. I owe you everything.”

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